WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE YOU JUST CAN’T TAKE ANOTHER STEP……

You may have noticed that many of my posts for the last several months have been focused on what to do in hard times. It’s because this season of my life is filled with many challenges and I can only speak out of my life, right.

But I want to do more than that, I want to help you through your trials and challenges also. Just as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1,

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

But what comfort do I have to give you, but only what I receive from God and it is amazing! We will never be rid of trials and tribulations, just as Jesus said, “In theworld you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, Ihaveovercometheworld.” Have you ever asked “what does that mean exactly”? I have.

What consolation is in that statement for me and my life in the present day? I know Jesus has overcome the world, but what about me? How can I overcome this world? Well, 1 John tells us:

For whatever is born of God overcomestheworld. And this is the victory that has overcome theworld—our faith.

Now, when I read that statement, it makes me a little scared because I think, what if my faith is weak? What is going to happen in my situation if my faith fails? Do you ever wonder that?

Many times in my trials I feel weak and incomparable to the task at hand, but then I realized what good company I’m in with Paul, Peter and many of those who not only followed Christ, but also many who God used in the OT to do His will. I mean think of Gideon and Moses. Wow, at least when I look at them I feel a little better. They all saw themselves as unable. Look at Paul who PLEADED with God to take the thorn from his flesh and this is how God responded:

And He said to me, “Mygrace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast inmyinfirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

I am so grateful that God was merciful enough to include such great examples of faith in His Word, because it says a couple things to me:

God knows I’m weak and it doesn’t bother Him.

I don’t have to be super-woman (man).

He uses even the weakest of humans.

Why? Why would my weakness be a good thing? It’s not to me because it tells me I don’t have what it takes to overcome this obstacle. That in the end, I am only human. BUT, with God, I can do all things! With God, nothing is impossible. And why is this so amazing?

Because God is glorified in all my circumstances and shines through them. If my trials are too big for me and I fold under the pressure but in that folding put all my trust in God, then whatever the outcome, God is exalted! Let me explain with this passage of scripture:

WHY???

Why are we brought to brink of ourselves in our trials? Because in this, we learn total dependence on the Lord. Paul was a man, such as we and yet in all his trials; shipwreck, in the sea one day and night, beatings and persecutions and many more, he was able to say “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Now was that something he just quoted to get him there, to keep him strong? No! That is something that he declared because through it all, he had found CHRIST TO BE HIS STRENGTH!!!

In the passages before he made this statement he mentioned that he had learned no matter what his lot, whatever state he found himself in, whether abounding or in want, that he had LEARNED how to be content and then declared, for I can do all things through Christ…..

So wherever you are today, know this: that God has not abandon you. His strength is being displayed in your weakness. You may feel like you can’t take another step and you know what? You are right? But HE CAN.

I remember recently when a second sister of mine passed away. She battled cancer for 10 years. Our family was attending the funeral and I watched my mother. She was understandably in shock. This was her second child to have died in the last 6 years. I could not even fathom what she was feeling and I watched as her strength waned and her ability to uphold her own heart was gone. When I took her back to her hotel for a nap, as she lay there, all the strength she could muster was gone and she went limp, weeping in the bed.

Isn’t this where we are in the dark of night where no one sees us? Limp and lifeless to fight our battle?

She was done! Her ability to handle this situation was NO MORE! Her heart was broken in a million pieces. And she is a believer! Was God upset at that moment because her faith could not stand up under this onslaught of grief! ABSOLUTLEY NOT! FOR THEN…..HER LOVING FATHER TOOK HER IN HIS ARMS AND BROUGHT STRENTGH!

Strength for the next moment. To get up the next day and face it without her daughter. And face it she did. But it was clear that it was not her own faith or strength that upheld her, it was the LORD, HIMSELF!

And this is the work. The glory that is being wrought in us at times like these. This is our consolation in our grief and suffering that “these present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is being worked in us.” Romans 8:18

And like Peter, Satan may have asked to sift us like wheat, Luke 22:31, but Jesus is praying that our faith should not fail, Luke 22:32 and out of it, we will strengthen our brothers and sisters!

So be encouraged my brothers and sisters! We overcome because He overcame! We will have our trials and tribulations and hardships to where we even feel the sentence of death, but this is so that our trust may be in God who raises the dead! 2 Corinthians 1:9

Crisie Hutchings is a wife, mother, songwriter and worship leader who writes, sings and speaks about Jesus, purpose and the love of God! She pens deep, honest songs, in prophetic tone, that declare the supremacy of Christ and wrestle with our questions about God, life and pain. Along with transparent inspirational writing and speaking, she weaves the story of her redemption and declares hope & love that transforms a world . Crisie and her husband, John share life w/ three adult children and their families. She leads worship at Covenant Love Church in Fayetteville, NC.